Outdoor swimming pool



F.P.BOYD ETAL OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL March 27, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 16, 1960 INVENTORS' FRANCES P BOYD and BENJ'AM\N C. Bovofnnwak i w ATTORNEYS March 27, 1962 F. P. BOYD ETAL 3,026,538

OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL Filed Feb. 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J gINVENTORS. FRANCES P. Bow:

and BEN-TAMN C. BOYD ATTORNEYS March 27, 1962 F. P. BOYD ETAL 3,026,538

OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL Filed Feb. 16, 1960 SSheets-Sheet 3 a o WWW m 5 Wemm m 1 ID. S N III a M wfi m m 33g W 13,25,538 Patented Mar. 27, 1%623,026,538 OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL Frances P. Boyd and Benjamin C. Boyd,both of Rte. 4, Box 472-A5, Charlotte, N.C. Filed Feb. 16, 1960, Ser.No. 9,035 4 Claims. (Cl. 4-171) This invention relates to an outdoorswimming pool of the type which may be moored in a river, lake or otherbody of Water to provide safe conditions for swimming.

It is well known that rivers, lakes and other bodies of water presentcertain hazards to persons who may desire to swim therein. Often, thebed or bottom of the body of water is either muddy or rocky, the currentof the water may be deceptive because of unknown drop-offs, and thewater may harbor dangerous water life, such as reptiles. One or more ofthe disadvantages enumerated above is usually present in bodies of waterwhich have not been especially developed for swimming purposes.

Outdoor swimming pools of the type to which this invention pertains havein the past involved cumbersome structures requiring wooden slats orfloor boards forming walkways held afloat by barrel-like float memberscontaining pressurized air. In general, the submerged pool enclosuredepending from the floating walkway is comprisedof a plurality ofinterconnected woden slats or wire mesh material offering uncomfortablesurfaces for engagement with the bare feet of swimmers. Often, the poolenclosures are open at the bottom, affording no relief from the muddy orrocky condition of the bed of the body of water while permitting theentry of dangerous water life into the pool enclosure.

The cleaning of such pool enclosures is also a diflicult andtime-consuming project in that no provision is generally made forraising the submerged pool enclosure for this purpose. In instanceswhere such provision has been made, it usually takes the form of a chainand Windlass construction subject to mechanical defects hastened by thecorrosive action of the water on the chains and trouble some to operate,in any event. When emergency situations arise, as for example when aswimmer suffers an injury or becomes cramped in the submerged poolenclosure, the inefliciency of the means commonly em ployed to raise thepool enclosure becomes strikingly evident. Furthermore, although most ofthe known outdoor swimming pools may be described as portable in thatthey may be dismantled and transferred to another location, such anundertaking is an extremely laborious taskinvolving considerable workand time because of the cumbersome nature of the construction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved outdoorswimming pool overcoming the abovedescribed difficulties, the presentinvention residing in a sectional swimming pool of simplifiedconstruction to allow for easy disassembly and transfer to a differentlocation, while permitting the future addition of more sections forincreasing the size of the swimming pool.

It is another object of this invention to provide an im-' proved outdoorswimming pool utilizing a submergi'ole swimming basket or pool enclosurehaving inflatable tubular means disposed across its bottom wall forimparting buoyancy to the swimming basket when inflated to quickly raisethe basket to a floating position atop the body of water when anemergency occurs or for general cleaning purposes. 7

It is another object of this invention toprovide an outdoor swimmingpool having improved means for supporting a pool enclosure or swimmingbasket in a depending submerged position from a buoyant walkway, whereinthe pool enclosure is loosely attached to the buoyant walkway to definea ledge therebetween for assisting persons in entering and leaving thewater within the pool enclosure.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view ofthe improved outdoor swimming pool embodying the present invention,submerged portions of which are shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the swimming pool shown in FIGURE1, partially broken away to illustrate portions of the swimming basketand buoyant walkway in section;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken alongthe line 33 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of one corner construction ofthe buoyant walkway;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of the pool enclosure orswimming basket as loosely attached to the buoyant walkway;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner section for thebuoyant walkway;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the bottom wallfor the pool enclosure or swimming basket, showing the inflatabletubular member extending across the bottom wall as it appears when indeflated condition;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view similar to FIGURE7, but showing the tubular member in inflated condition;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the outdoor swimming pool when fullyassembled, showing the disposition of the inflatable tubular memberacross the bottom wall of the pool enclosure or swimming basket; and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, butillustrating a modified means for supporting the pool enclosure orswimming basket in a depending submerged position from the buoyantwalkway.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that theoutdoor swimming pool broadly comprises a walkway 10 and a poolenclosure or swimming basket 11, the pool enclosure 11 being submergedin a body of water W and being rimmed along its upper edge portions bythe walkway 10.

The walkway 10 is buoyant and forms a floating platform upon whichpersons may stand or sit during periods when they are not swimming. Thewalkway 10 includes a plurality of identical intermediate walkwaysections 12 forming the intermediate portions of the sides and ends ofthe walkway 10. To complete the walkway it four identical corner walkwaysections 13 are provided (see FIGURE 6) to connect the sides and ends ofthe sectional walkway 10, thereby resulting in a continuous sectionalwalkway 10 rimming the swimming basket 11.

Each of the intermediate walkway sections 12 comprises a block-like core14 formed from a buoyant material, such as styrofoam. The buoyant core14 is partially covered by a protective jacket or shell 15, which may besheet aluminum or other suitable material. The jacket 15 fully coversthe top surface of the buoyant core 14 exposed above the surface levelof the water W and is adapted to withstand the wear imposed upon theintermediate walkway section 12 by the continued movement of persons andobjects, such as lounge chairs and the like, across the floating walkway10.

It will be observed that the side of each intermediate walkway section12 facing inwardly toward the pool enclosure or basket 11 is recessed toform a step 16 disposed below the uppermost surface of the intermediatewalkway section 12. Thus, the intermediate walkway sections 12 along thesides and ends of the pool enclosure 11 provide a plurality ofcomplementary merging steps 16 to define a shelf which extendslengthwise of the respective sides and ends of the pool enclosure 11.

Referring to the four corner walkway sections 13, it will be seen thateach corner section 13 comprises a block-like buoyant core 14 partiallycovered by a protective jacket or shell 15, the corner walkway sections13 differing from the intermediate walkway sections 12 only as to shape.In this respect, the right-angled end edge of each corner walkwaysection 13 facing inwardly toward the pool enclosure 11 is recessed toprovide a right-angled step 16 disposed below the uppermost surface ofthe corner walkway section 13 and forming a connecting link between thesteps 16 provided by the intermediate walkway sections 12 positioned onadjacent sides of the corner walkway section '13. In this way, the shelfdefined by the steps 16, 16 rims the boundaries of the pool enclosure orswimming basket 11.

Suitable means are provided to secure adjacent intermediate walkwaysections 12 and corner walkway sections 13 together, such means beingshown in FIGURE 4 as connector strips 17, each strip 17 overlappingrespective abutting walkway sections and fastened to each of them bybolts or the like. The connector strips 17 are preferably made of sheetaluminum or other suitable material to correspond with the materialforming the protective jackets 15, 15 for the individual sectionscomprising the walkway 10.

Upright posts or standards 20 are located along the outer perimeter ofthe sectional walkway it being noted that the posts 20 are driven intothe bed forming the bottom of the body of water W (FIGURE 2). In FIG-URE 1, these posts 20 are illustrated as being positioned adjacent eachof the four corner walkway sections 13. Means are provided on eachcorner walkway section 13 for slidably receiving the upright post 20adjacent thereto in order to permit vertical upward and downwardmovement of the assembled sectional walkway 10 relative to the uprightposts 20. Thus, such means comprises a bracket 21 rigidly secured to theoutwardly jutting rightangled corner edge of each corner walkway section13, the bracket 21 loosely receiving the adjacent upright post 20 forslidable vertical movement therealong. Each of the upright posts 20includes an enlarged cap 22 which acts as a stop means to prevent therespective bracket 21 from being disengaged from the post 20 as thebracket 21 travels in an upward direction. It is therefore apparent thatthe lower ends of the posts 20 are passed through the brackets 21 wheninitially assembling the swimming pool in a desired location on the bodyof water W.

A fence or guard rail 23 is mounted on top of the sectional walkway 10along its outer perimeter, as best shown in FIGURE 1. If desired, eachof the sections 12, 13 comprising the walkway 10 may be suitablyapertured to receive one fence column so that individual fence sectionsmay correspond to the respective sections of the walkway 10. However,the fence or guard rail 23, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, includes onewall having an open gateway G therethrough to provide an entrance orexit from the swimming pool, the fence sections comprising this wallbeing shown as somewhat longer in length than the length of anyindividual walkway section on which they stand.

The swimming basket or pool enclosure 11, like the walkway 10, is alsoof sectional form. In this respect, it will be seen that the poolenclosure 11 comprises side and end walls and a bottom wall forming anopen-topped enclosurethe side walls being designated by referencenumerals 30, end walls 31, and bottom wall 32. As shown in FIGURES 2 and9, the bottom wall 32 may comprise shallow and deep bottom wall segments32a, 32b, respectively, connected by a bottom wall segment 32c extendingperpendicular thereto. The shallow bottom wall segment 32a is useful inproviding a wading pool area for small children or persons learning toswim.

Each wall of the pool enclosure or swimming basket 11 is comprised of aplurality of identical basket sections 34 interconnected in a manner tobe hereinafter described. Each basket section 34 comprises a fiat body35 of rectangular shape, being illustrated as substantially square, andsides and ends extending laterally at right angles to the flat body 35to define a continuous flange or skirt 36 protruding perpendicularlyfrom the fiat body 35. The flat body 35 has a plurality of openings orperforations 37 therethrough, the perforations 37 affording the freeflow of the water W into and out of the swimming basket 11 to promote asanitary condition without being large enough to admit unwanted reptilesor other dangerous water life into the basket 11. Preferably, theindividual basket sections 34 are made from a substantially noncorrosivematerial, such as aluminum which is light in weight and resists thecorrosive action of water thereagainst even when the water is salty,should the outdoor swimming pool be located in an open sea.

Referring to FIGURE 5, the adjacent basket sections 34 for each of thewalls comprising the pool enclosure 11 are positioned with thecorresponding lateral sides and ends thereof forming the skirt 36 aboutthe fiat body 35 in abutting relationship. The adjacent basket sections34 are secured together by suitable fastener means, such as screws orbolts, penetrating the abutting lateral skirt portions 36. The side, endand bottom walls 30, 31 and 32, respectively, when fully assembled arethen joined together in a similar manner, except that the skirt portions36 along one wall, such as side wall 30 in FIGURE 5, abut the opposedsurface provided by the fiat bodies 35 of the adjacent wall, such as thebottom wall 32 in FIGURE 5, being rigidly secured thereto by suitablefastener means as above described.

The pool enclosure or swimming basket 11 is adapted to be looselyattached to the buoyant walkway 10 so as to be dependingly supportedthereby in fully submerged position in the water W. To accomplish thisloose attachment between the walkway 10 and the swimming basket or poolenclosure 11, means in the form of a sectional frame 40 is rigidlysecured to the upper edge portion of the pool enclosure 11 so as toextend laterally outwardly from the perimeter thereof into overlappingengaged position with the shelf defined by the steps 16, 16 on thewalkway sections 12, 13 respectively. Thus, in FIGURES 3 and 5, asection of frame 40 is attached to the uppermost skirt portion 36 oneach of the highest basket sections 34 for the side and end walls 30, 31of the pool enclosure 11the frame sections forming the continuoussectional frame 40 adapted to overlie the shelf provided by the steps16, 16 in the intermediate and corner walkway sections 12, 13. It willbe apparent that the weight of the pool enclosure or swimming basket 11causes it to sink in the water W, allowing the frame 40 to be moved intoengagement with the shelf formed in the walkway 10, whereupon thefloating walkway 10 is effective to support the pool enclosure orswimming basket 11 in fully submerged position within the water W. Theshelf and the overlying frame 40 define a ledge which rims theboundaries of the pool enclosure or swimming basket 11 and is disposedbelow the top surface of the walkway 10 to assist persons in enteringand leaving the pool enclosure 11.

The depth of water W in the swimming basket or pool enclosure 11 willremain constant at all times, inasmuch as the buoyant walkway 10although anchored against horizontal movement by the upright posts 20will move vertically upward or downward in response to changes in thesurface level of the water W. The swimming basket or pool enclosure 11is so constructed to maintain the bottom wall 32 thereof in spacedrelationship with respect to the bed or bottom of the body of water W,while the perforations 37 through the individual basket sections 34allow for free flow of water through the pool enclosure 11 at all times.

. Despite the continuous free flow of Water into and out of the poolenclosure 11, there will nevertheless be occasions When cleaning of thepool enclosure 11 is necessary, making it advantageous to raise the poolenclosure 11 from fully submerged position-also desirable whenemergencies arise, such as an injury to a swimmer within the poolenclosure 11 or in the event a person has difficulty in keeping his headabove water. Thus, means are provided to raise the pool enclosure 11with respect to the water W in which it is submerged and the buoyantwalkway by which it is supported, such means being etfectiveto raise thepool enclosure'll to a floating position, thereby allowing all of thewater contained therein to drain olf through the perforations 37provided inthe individual basket sections 34.

The improved means for raising the swimming basket 11 comprises aninflatable tubular member 50 extending across the bottom Wall 32 of thepool enclosure 11. As shown in FIGURES 7 and 8, the inflatable tubularmember 50 comprises a plurality of resilient tubular segments 51, madeof rubber or like material, extending beneath the bottom wall 32 andjoined together by suitable connectors, such as rigid pipes 52 of shortlengths forced into the opposed ends of adjacent tubular segments 51, toform the composite tubular member 50. In mounting the inflatable tubularmember 50 beneath the bottom wall 32"of the pool enclosure 11, aplurality of hanger elements 53 are rigidly secured to the bottom wall32 at appropriate'spaced locations and depend downwardly therefrom,the-hanger elements 53 being of substantially similar form to-thebrackets 21 on the walkway 10 which slidably receive the upright posts20. The hanger elements 53 loosely encircle corresponding rigidconnector pipes 52 joining adjacent resilient tubular segments 51 toretain the composite inflatable tubular member 50 in a position disposedbeneath the bottom wall 32; of the pool enclosure 11, as best shown inFIGURE 9.

The opposite ends of the inflatable tubular member 50 are connected torigid conduits 54, 54 which extend upwardly above the top surface of thefloating walkway 10. A suitable source of compressed air or other fluidpressure may be connected to the conduits 54, 54 to admit fluid pressureto the tubular member 50 for inflating the individual tubular segments51 thereof, as shown in FIG- URE 8, thereby imparting buoyancy to thepool enclosure or swimming basket 11 and causing the basket 11 to beraised in the water W as desired, depending upon the degree of inflationof the individual tubular segments 51. When the tubular segments 51 arefully inflated, the swimming basket 11 is raised to a fully floatingposition, as may be necessary under certain emergency conditions or forgeneral cleaning purposes.

FIGURE 10 shows a modification of the outdoor swimming pool illustratedin FIGURES l-9, inclusive, and described hereinbefore, it being notedthat the means by which the sectional floating walkway 10 supports thepool enclosure 11 in depending submerged position has been modified. Inthis respect, the individual intermediate and corner walkway sections ofthe modification disclosed in FIGURE 10 include a buoyant core 60 and aprotective jacket 61 therefor, the side of the jacket facing the poolenclosure 11 being provided with a hook 62 on the lower edge portionthereof. The hooks 62 on the plurality of sections comprising thewalkway 10 define a continuous groove extending along the perimeter ofthe pool enclosure 11 adjacent the top edge portion thereof. The uppermost row of basket sections comprising the side and end walls of thepool enclosure 11 is modified to include an outward frame portion 63integral with each basket section and extending perpendicular to theupper edge portion of the pool enclosure so as to define a sectionalframe along the perimeter of the pool enclosure 11. Means, such asrespective hollow tubes 64 of rigid mate rial, are secured by suitablefastening means along the lower surface of the sectional frame 63, thehollow tubes 64'"presenting a -cross-sectional shape corresponding tothat possessed by the hooks 62 on the protective jackets 61 of theindividual walkway sections. As shown in FIG- URE 10, each of the tubes64 is loosely received Within the groove portion defined by the hook 62on an individual walkway section so as to support the pool enclosure 11in depending submerged position beneath the floating walkway 10. Thehooks 62 defining the groove in the walkway 10, the tubes 64 and thesectional frame 63 to which the tubes 64 are secured cooperate to definea ledge rimming the boundaries of the pool enclosure 11, such asprovided by the supporting means for the pool enclosure illustrated inFIGURES 1-9, inclusive. In the modified form of supporting means shownin FIG- URE 10, it can be observed that some saving of styrofoammaterial which comprises the buoyant cores 14 for the individual walkwaysections may be accomplished, since the portion of each walkway sectionforming the step 16 can be eliminated. Again, the pool enclosure 11 isloosely supported from the buoyant walkway 10 by the modified meansshown in FIGURE 10 and may be raised with respect thereto by inflatingthe tubular member 50, as described hereinbefore.

Thus, it will be seen that we have disclosed a new and improved outdoorswimming pool of simplified sectional construction capable of beingassembled in a suitable location on a body of water to provide swimmingrecreation.

The simplicity of our sectional construction makes it an easy matter todismantle the swimming pool for transfer to another location, ifdesired. It can also be appreciated that the swimming pool may beenlarged by adding appropriate sections thereto, since the sectionsforming the walkway 10 and the pool enclosure 11, respectively, areuniform in size so as to be interchangeable. Also, the outdoor swimmingpool disclosed herein eliminates the hazards commonly associated withbodies of water which have not been developed for swimming, whileproviding the additional safeguard of an inflatable tubular member toimpart buoyancy to the submerged pool enclosure for raising the poolenclosure to a floating position under emergency conditions or whennecessary to clean the pool enclosure.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims,

We claim:

1. In an outdoor swimming pool having a submergible pool enclosure and abuoyant walkway, means loosely attaching said walkway to the top edgeportions of said pool enclosure for supporting said enclosure independing submerged position in the water, said enclosure having aplurality of openings therethrough to accommodate the free flow of waterinto and out of the enclosure, means to raise said enclosure withrespect to said walkway and the water in which the enclosure issubmerged, said raising means comprising an inflatable tubular memberdisposed about said enclosure, and means for admitting fluid into saidtubular member to inflate said tubular member for imparting buoyancy tosaid enclosure, whereby said enclosure may be raised with respect tosaid walkway and the water.

2. In an outdoor swimming pool having a submergible swimming basket anda buoyant walkway, means freely supporting said basket from said walkwayin depending submerged position in the water with respect to saidwalkway, means to raise said basket with respect to said walkway and thewater in which the basket is submerged, said raising means comprising aplurality of inflatable tubular segments disposed beneath the bottomwall of said basket, pipe connectors interposed between adjacent tubularsegments and linking said plurality of tubular segments together, hangerelements secured to the bottom wall of said basket and extendingdownwardly, each of said pipe connectors being received by acorresponding hanger element for supporting said plurality of linkedtubular segments in suspended position beneath the bottom wall of saidbasket, and means for admitting fluid into said linked tubular segmentsto inflate said tubular segments for imparting buoyancy to said basket,thereby raising the basket with respect to said walkway and the water inwhich the basket is submerged.

3. A portable outdoor swimming pool comprising a sectional swimmingbasket having openings therethrough to afford the flow of water into andout of the basket, a sectional floating walkway extending around theboundaries of said basket along the upper edge portions thereof, meansfreely supporting said basket from said floating walkway in dependingsubmergible position, elongated posts adapted to be seated in the bedforming the bottom of a body of water, said posts being located atspaced positions along the perimeter of said floating walkway, means onsaid floating walkway slidably receiving each of said posts to anchorthe outdoor swimming pool against horizontal movement, said walkwaybeing movable upwardly and downwardly with respect to said posts inresponse to changes in the surface level of the body of water, and meansto raise said basket with respect to said walkway and the water in whichsaid basket is submerged, said raising means comprising an inflatabletubulocations along the outer perimeter of said buoyant walkway, meansconnecting said buoyant walkway to said posts for vertical movement ofsaid walkway with respect thereto in response to changes in the surfacelevel of the body of water, said swimming basket having a bottom wall,side walls, and end walls defining an open-topped pool enclosure, eachof said walls comprising a plurality of sections having openingstherethrough, each of said sections having a flat body with sides andends extending laterally at right angles to said flat body, saidright-angled sides and ends of each section engaging correspondingright-angled sides and ends on adjacent sections, means rigidly securingthe engaged right-angled sides and ends of adjacent sections together,and means to raise said basket with respect to said walkway and thewater in which the basket is submerged, said raising means comprising aninflatable tubular member extending beneath the bottom wall of saidbasket, and means for admitting fluid into said tubular member toinflate said tubular member for imparting buoyancy to said basket,whereby said basket may be raised with respect to said walkway and thewater.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,054,505 Butters Feb. 25, 1913 1,720,081 Kornsweet July 9, 19291,752,191 Moray Mar. 25, 1930 1,918,437 Torrance July 18, 1933 2,016,456Russell Oct. 8, 1935 2,406,413 Test Aug. 27, 1946 2,490,272 Kascle Dec.6, 1949 2,928,103 Turner May 21, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 817,778 France May31, 1937

